


Never Let Me Go

by Draco_sollicitus



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Ficlet, Fluff, It's a metaphor I guess, Pre-Relationship, Swimming, Trust, may the fourth, pre-tros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24003757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draco_sollicitus/pseuds/Draco_sollicitus
Summary: Rey of Jakku had never seen a body of water bigger than the muddy pond at the Outpost before she came to Takodana:But, the oceans of Naboo are terrifying in comparison.  It doesn't help that she never learned how to swim; luckily, the best pilot in the Resistance is there to help
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 12
Kudos: 111





	Never Let Me Go

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Happy May the Fourth! 
> 
> I'll be posting drabbles and ficlets and one-shots that are buried on my tumblr from 2018/2019 all day. Here's a little fluff piece that I wrote towards the end of 2018!

Rey had never seen a body of water this large. The lake seemed to stretch on infinitely; if she’d been amazed at the green of Takodana, she was overwhelmed by the blue of Naboo. 

Still, she refused to let fear get the better of her, so she stood, toes wiggling in the surf, as the waves rolled in from the middle of the massive lake. “You coming?” Rose called from a hundred yards out. Finn splashed her then, and Rey could hear her friends shrieking with laughter all the way from shore.

“Sure!” Rey said, hoping that her wariness didn’t translate. She took a step, and then another step - she breathed in through her nose, out through her mouth, trying to shove her anxiety down. 

“Hey.” Rey’s breathing quickened for another reason, and she imagined herself to be made of steel when she turned to look at the person who’d appeared on her left. 

Poe Dameron was unfairly pretty when fully dressed; and, Rey had never felt so woefully inadequate as she did now, catching an eyeful of the commander in swimming trunks so short they ought to be illegal, his skin tanned to the point of being golden, his curls tossed luxuriously out of his handsome face. 

“Hi,” Rey said, wrapping her arms around her middle, suddenly wishing she was wearing more than her breast band and a pair of shorts. Poe smiled at her kindly.

“Don’t know how to swim?” He asked, his eyes flickering out to where Rose and Finn had been joined by Iolo and Jess. Rey shook her head and stared down at the water, around where her toes should be. 

“I’ll just wait here,” she said, mortified. “Don’t worry about me.” Poe huffed and took a step out past her before turning to face her, raising his arm towards her. He splashed backwards another few steps, his hand outstretched. 

“C’mon, Sunshine,” he said, smiling in that knowing way of his. “I got you.” Rey bit her lip, debating the pros and cons for a moment, but Poe Dameron’s plucky flyboy smile got the best of her, as always. Rey rolled her eyes, took his hand, and walked forward into the water with him. 

“I won’t let you go,” he promised, walking at her side while the water deepened. The waves now crested at her hip, and Rey swallowed the ball of fear in her throat. She nodded at him, unable to speak. “It’s going to get deeper in a second, so don’t worry.” Sure enough, the waves now hit her chest, and Rey gulped for air when her foot missed the next step. Her body became oddly buoyant, and she yelped when her other foot spasmed - now both feet were off the sandy bottom of the lake. 

Poe laughed approvingly. “You’re sort of getting it! But here, you’re making me nervous.” He splashed out in front of her. “Do you trust me?” 

“Yes,” Rey squeaked. Even if she wasn’t half afraid of drowning, she’d mean it. She did trust Poe, she had since the moment they met. He pulled her close to his body, gripping her by the arms. 

“Kick your legs out behind you,” he instructed. 

“Don’t let go,” Rey begged, her voice a half-whisper. Poe’s grip tightened in response, and Rey followed his instructions. Her feet splashed around uselessly for a second before they seemed to catch some intangible support, and her body leveled out. “Oh!” She gasped in surprise, and then laughed. While laughing, she caught some water in her mouth and sputtered.

“Easy, easy,” Poe said, smiling at her. He took another step backward, and Rey yelped in terror.

“Don’t let me go!” She repeated, louder than before.  _ Don’t leave me, come back, please don’t leave me here to - _

Poe’s smile was oddly serious when she caught his eye, her legs still kicking behind her. “I promise I won’t,” he murmured, continuing to pull her in. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

Rey kicked her feet out once more, propelling herself through the water, until she bumped right into Poe’s chest. He wasn’t laughing now, and she felt herself floating - like meditation but not - until she was upright, held tight to him.

“Better?” Poe asked, his voice hoarse; water trickled from his damp hair down his neck to the curve of his shoulder. Rey’s voice was gone for a different reason than terror now.

She nodded quickly, and Poe smiled. “Don’t let go,” he said softly, pushing off from the bottom of the lake, pulling Rey with him. “Hold on tight.”

She did.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!


End file.
